You know, I’ve heard for years about that beer belly…how beer makes you fat. But I never knew why. Until now!

The University of Rochester has provided a full scientific explanation of the oh-so-rare beer belly:

1. A small portion of the alcohol consumed is converted into fat.
2. The liver then converts the rest (ie: majority) of the alcohol into acetate.
3. The acetate is then released into the bloodstream, and replaces fat as a source of fuel.

Well, now I know! There’s also some cool charts showing calorie and carb counts for a lot of beers too. Check out the entire article.